Garment clamping hangers have been used for many years. An example of such a hanger is the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,092, issued Oct. 23, 1973, to J. F. Garrison et al. To improve the garment gripping capabilities of garment clamping hangers, it is known to provide the jaws of such hangers with a coating of particles of high friction material, such as rubber, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,801, issued Jan. 12, 1960, to J. H. Batts. Hangers using high friction gripping pads have experienced several problems. Functionally, one of the major problems has been that of delamination of the pad from the hanger. This occurs along the bond line between the pad and hanger. This problem becomes acute when the hangers are used for heavy garments and even more so when the hanger is intended for repeated reuse or for transportation where it has to sustain the additional strain of repeated, abrupt, vertical movements often experienced in transit.
Another factor which has materially restricted their use is cost. Making the hanger in two separate operations, that is, first assembling or molding the hanger body and later bonding the garment gripping pads to the body involves labor costs which are not acceptable in the hanger manufacturing business. Another factor has been the problem of developing a pad which will provide the necessary grip and, at the same time, have sufficient body durability and strength to withstand the demands of commercial usage. Past experience had indicated that rubber pads, either natural or synthetic, which have the required frictional grip are not structurally capable of withstanding either repeated or rough usage. Heretofore, when the material had durability, it lacked the necessary frictional characteristics and vice versa.
A further problem has been effective adhesion to the hanger body. This is important because the bond line between the gripping pad and the hanger body must be capable of withstanding the loads imposed by the heavier garments. Along with this requirement, it is essential that the pad not damage or otherwise mark the garments. This is essential whether the hanger is intended for home or commercial use.